A nice ride out

With a day off and nothing planned until the girls’ sports afternoon I had planned a ride out to Brimham Rocks via Knaresborough and along the bridleways. However, I was late departing and slower than I hoped, so missed out the last section from Shaw Mills to Brimham. I rode the newish cycle path though the back of Bilton and then along Bilton Lane to roll down the Beryl Burton to Knaresborough.

At the bottom was a perfectly functional looking bike, standing on its empty forks – not sure why!

From Knaresborough to Ferrensby, along the bridleway past the Hollies

Then on the Occaney, through fields alive with poppy infested rape. As it comes into flower everything is fresh and pushing for its place – the bridleway is pretty overgrown and I walked one section as I couldn’t see the ground beneath my wheel.

Towards South Stainley, as I rode away from Copgrove, a stoat ghosted across my path and a jay flew to a copse alongside.

From South Stainley the track is easy riding and runs through some lovely country.

Across the Ripley – Fountains road, through a very operational farm, along a track and a couple of recently mown fields to the road and down into Shaw Mills. Then home via the path back to Ripley and the Nidderdale Greenway.